Coin separators and switches therefor



J. ANDERSON 2,768,726 co'm SEPARATORS AND SWITCHES THEREFOR Oct. 30,1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1951 5a INVENTOR' HTTORNE Y Job 1 L.flndcrs n Oct. 30, 1956 J. L. ANDERSON com SEPARATORS AND SWITCHESTHEREFOR Filed July 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent COINSEPARATORS AND SWITCHES THEREFOR John L. Anderson, Jennings, Mo.,assignor to National Re e ctors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation ofMissonrr Application July 9, 1951, Serial No. 235,820

4 Claims. (Cl. 194'9)' This invention relates to improvements in coinseparators. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements incoin separators that can receive different types of coins or tokens andcan respond to prescribed combinations of those coins.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved coin separator that can receive coins or tokens of diflerentcombinations of those coins or tokens. It is frequently possible toconstruct and install vending machines that can respond to the insertionof a single coin or token of a given type to vend a particular article.However, in many instances, the accepted price of the particular articleto be vended is such that more than one coin or token of the same ordifferent types must be inserted in the vending machine to effect thevending of that article. In still other instances the accepted price ofthe article to be vended is such that at least one coin or token of onetype and at least two coins or tokens of another type must be insertedin the vending machine to effect the vending of the article. In theselatter instances it is desirable to interrelate the actions of thedifferent types of coins or tokens in the vending machines so thesupplier of the vended article receives full payment for each articlevended, and so the recipient of each vended article need insert only thetypes and numbers of tokens to efiect the vending of the article. Thepresent invention attains this interrelation of the action of the coinsor tokens of different types by providing a coin separator which has anelectro-responsive device that normally blocks the passageway for thecoins or tokens of one type and which has an electric switch that willnot energize that electroresponsive device and thus unblock thepassageway for the one type of coin or token until a prescribed numberof authentic coins of another type has passed that switch. With such acoin separator, coins or tokens of the one type will be directed to arejected coin chute until the prescribed number of authentic coins ofthe other type have been inserted, and thereafter the coins or tokens ofthe one type will be accepted and the desired article will be vended. Itis therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coinseparator which has an electroresponsive device that normally blocks thepassageway for coins or tokens of one type and which has an electricswitch which responds to the insertion of a prescribed number of coinsor tokens of another type to energize the electro-responsive device andunblock the passageway for the one type of coin or token.

In the coin separator provided by the present invention, a stop islodged in the coin passageway and will halt the movement of coinsthrough that passageway. A switch is disposed ahead of the stop and ithas an actuator which extends into the coin passageway and will be movedby such coins. The actuator can be disposed at different distances fromthe stop and will be moved to switch-actuating position by one or morecoins as desired. Where it is desired that a single'coin move theactuator to switchactuating position, the switch will be setrclose tothe stop l and the coin will move the actuator to a point closely ad-2,768,726 Patented Oct. 30, 1956 jacent the stop; and thereafter thestop will hold the coin against the actuator and thus keep the actuatorin switchactuating position. Where it is desired that the actuator counttwo coins, a switch and its actuator will be spaced from the stop adistance greater than the width of one coin but smaller than the widthoftwo coins. The first coin will move the actuator of the switch towardthe stop but will pass out of engagement with the actuator and permitthat actuator to return to normal position. That first coin will be heldby the stop and will act to hold the second coin adjacent the actuator;that second coin holding the switch-actuator in switch-actuatingposition. With this construction it is possible to count any givennumber of coins accurately. It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide .a coin separator which has a stop that is disposedin a coin passageway and that has a switch disposed ahead of the stop;said switch having an actuator that can be held in switch-actuatingposition by coins which are held immobile by the said stop.

The stop can then be removed from the passageway to permit the coin heldby it to pass by it to the coin box of the coin separator. Thereupon,the actuator of the switch will return to normal position. In this way,the. coin separator can reset itself for the next coin-receiving cycle.It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coinseparatorwith a stop which extends into a passageway to halt themovement of coins through that passageway and which is movable out ofthat passageway to permit the coins to pass through the passageway andthereby free the actuator of a switch to return to re-set position.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention shouldbecome apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanyingdescription.

In the drawing and accompanying description several preferredembodiments of the present invention are shown and described but it isto be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are forthe purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and thatthe invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of acoin separator which is made in accordance with the principles andteachings of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a smaller portion of said coinseparator, and it shows that coin separator holding one coin,

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the portion of the coin separatorshown in Fig. 2, and it shows that coin separator holding two coins,

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a circuit in which the coin separatorof Figs. 1-3 can be incorporated,

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of another formof coin separatorwhich embodies the principles and teachings of the present invention,-

Fig. 6 is a view of a smaller portion of the coin separator shown inFig. 5, and it shows that coin separator holding a coin,

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the portion of the coin separatorshown in Fig. 6, and it shows by dotted lines themovement of a stopwhich can block the passageway of that coin separator,

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a portion of another form of coinseparator which is made in accordance with the principles and teachingsof the present invention,

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of a portion of 'the coin separatorshown in Fig. 8, and it shows that coin separator holding two coins, andi Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the portion of the coinseparator shown in Fig. 9 and itshows that coin separator holding threecoins.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 20 denotes the frame ofone form of coin separator which is made in accordance with theprinciples and teachings of the present invention. The frame 20 holds afront wall 22 and a rear wall 24 in spaced relation. The space betweenthe walls 22 and 24 is large enough to accommo date a coin, as forexample a penny. An anvil 26 is disposed between the front and rearwalls 22 and 24, and that anvil will direct coins to the right throughthe passageway defined by the front and rear walls 22 and 24. Aseparator 28 is disposed between the front and rear walls 22 and 24. Acoin guide 30 is disposed adjacent the right-hand side of frame 20, asviewed in Figs. 1-3, and that coin guide coacts with the separator 28 todefine an accepted coin chute. A coin guide 32, in the form of a pin, isdisposed between the front and rear walls 24 and 26 and that coin guidecoacts with the coin guide 30 to reduce the width of the passageway forthe accepted coin. 'That passageway should be just slightly greater thanthe diameter of the coin accepted.

An opening 34 is provided in the front wall 22; that opening being aboveand somewhat to the right of the separator 28. An electro-responsivedevice 36 is disposed adjacent the opening 34, and thatelectro-responsive device has a plunger 38 which is biased for movementthrough opening 34 into the passageway defined by the front and rearwalls 22 and 24. The plunger can be withdrawn from the passagewaythrough the opening 34 by the electro-responsive device 36.

The coin separator of Figs. 1-3 will have a coin gauge and a magnet anda runway which is similar to the coin gauge, runway and magnet shown inUnited States Letters Patent No. 2,292,628 for Coin Selector whichissued August 11, 1942. That coin gauge will test coins introduced intothe coin separator and will direct coins of the proper size toward therunway. That runway will direct the coins past the magnet and if thosecoins are authentic, they will rebound from the anvil and move towardthe accepted coin passageway between coin separator 28 and coin guide30. If the plunger 38 is lodged in the coin passageway defined by thefront and rear walls 22 and 24, the coin will be unable to pass into theaccepted coin chute; instead it will strike the plunger 38 and bedeflected to the rejected coin chute between anvil 26 and separator 28.However, if the plunger 38 is withdrawn from the coin passageway definedby the front and rear walls 22 and 24, authentic coins can pass by theopening 34 and move into the passageway or chute. Any such coin would bedirected closer to the coin guide 30 by contact ing the coin guide 32.In addition, that coin would strike the end of the actuator 46 of aswitch 44 mounted on the front wall 22 of the coin separator. Theactuator 46 has a bent end which extends into the passageway defined bythe front walls 22 and 24. i

The engagement of the coin with the bent end of the actuator 46 willcause that actuator to rotate in a clockwise direction, and an arcuateslot 40 is provided in the front wall 22 to permit the actuator to movein its arcuate path. The coin will continue to move the actuator 46downwardly until the bent end of the actuator has rotated sufficientlyfar from the coin guide 30 to permit the coin to slip between that bentend and that coin guide. Thereupon, the actuator .46 will rotateupwardly in a counterclockwise direction to its initial position asshown in Fig. 1; that actuator being biased to that position by theactive components of the switch, not shown. The coin will continue tomove downwardly until it strikes the bent end of an armature 50 that isheld across the bottom of the passageway by an electro-responsive device48. The left-hand edge of the coin will bear against a coin guide 42,and it will be held securely in position by the conjoint action of coinguide 42 and armature 50.

In the position of actuator 46 shown in Fig. 1, the contacts of switch44 are open. As the actuator rotates downwardly in a clockwise directionunder the weight of the coin, that actuator will close those contacts,but those contacts will open again as the coin moves out of engagementwith actuator 46 and permits that actuator to return to its initialposition. Thus, the passage of the first coin past the actuator 46 willcause a momentary closing of the contacts of switch 44 but will permitthose contacts to open.

When a second coin is introduced into the passageway between the frontand rear walls 22 and 24, that coin will rebound from the anvil 26 intothe accepted coin chute defined by the separator 28 and the coin guide30. This coin will be additionally guided by the coin guide 32. As itmoves down into the accepted coin chute, that coin will strike the bentend of actuator 46 and move that actuator in a clockwise direction. Asthe coin moves the actuator downwardly, it will cause the contacts ofswitch 44 to close and thereafter the second coin will strike and beheld by the first coin. The switch 44 is disposed above the stop 50 adistance which is great enough to insure that the first coin can slippast the actuator 46 and free it for return to its initial position butis small enough to permit the second coin to hold that actuator inswitch-actuating position. Stated another way, the switch-actuatingposition of the actuator 46 is spaced from the stop 50 a distancegreater than the width of the accepted coin passageway but less thantwice the width of that passageway.

The coin will remain immobile in the coin chute until the armature 50 isfreed for movement in a counterclockwise direction. When this occurs, asby the deenergizing of the electro-responsive device 48, the spring 49will rotate the armature 50 in a counter-clockwise direction away fromthe bottom of the accepted coin passageway. The position which thatarmature will assume when the electro-responsive device 50 isde-energized is indicated by dotted line in Fig. 1.

The coin separator of Figs. l-3 can be incorporated in the circuit of avending machine, as shown in Fig. 4. A lead 52 and a lead 72 areprovided for in that circuit, and those leads can be connected to asource of voltage, as for example, the usual outlets in building.Current will normally flow from lead 52 through the upper contact of aswitch 54, through the lower contact of a switch 56, through contact 58of a relay 66, through the electroresponsive devices 36 and 48, andthrough the contact 68 of a relay 70 to the lead 72. The flow of currentthrough the electro-responsive devices 36 and 48 will energize thosedevices and withdraw the plunger 38 from the passageway defined by thewalls 22 and 24 and will hold the armature 50 in the accepted coinpassageway. When the first coin passes by the actuator 46, it willmomentarily cause the contacts of switch 44 to close, but those contactswill quickly open as the actuator 46 returns to the position shown inFig. 1. The momentary closing of switch 44 will provide momentaryenergization of the electro-responsive device 64 by reason of thecircuit which extends from lead 52 through the movable element and uppercontact of switch 54, through the lower contact and movable element ofthe switch 56, through the contact 58 of relay 66, through switch 44,through the electro-responsive device 64 and through the contact 68 ofrelay 70 to the lead 72. This electro-responsive device 64 will have aplunger, not shown, normally disposed in a second passageway, not shown.That passageway will accept coins of a different denomination, forexample, a nickel. The momentary energization of the electroresponsivedevice 64 will withdraw that plunger from that second passageway, andthat opening of the contacts of switch 44- will permit that plunger tomove back into that second passageway once again. It is only after thesecond coin engages the actuator 46 and holds it in closed switchposition that he elecro-responsive device 64 is able to hold its plungerout of the second passageway.

The switch 54 may be described as an empty switch because its movableelement normally remains in engagement with the upper contact of switch54, and only shifts into engagement with the lower contact of switch 54after the vending machine is empty of articles to be vended Where thearticles are solid, the switch 54 can have a finger that is biasedtoward extended position but is held in retracted position by thearticle to be vended, and that will in turn hold the movable element ofswitch 54 in engagement with the upper contact of switch 54. Where thematerial to be vended is liquid, switch 54 can have a float secured toits movable element. In either case that switch will have its movableelement in engagement with its upper contact as long as there arearticles or material within the vending machine, but will have thatmovable element in engagement with its lower contact when the machine isempty. In moving to the lower contact of switch 54, the movable elementof that switch will disconnect the contact 58 from lead 52 thuspreventing energization of the electro-responsive devices 36, 48 and 64.This assures blocking of the two coin passageways by the plungersassociated with electro-responsive devices 36 and 64. Simultaneously themovable element of switch 54 will complete a circuit from lead 52 tolead 72 through contact 68 of relay 70 and the lamp 76. This lamp willthen indicate that the vending machine is empty.

The switch 56 may be described as a delivery switch because it isactuated whenever the vending machine delivers an article or material.The movable element of that switch normally engages the lower contact ofthat switch but will, during the vending of an article or material, moveinto engagement with the upper contact of that switch. In doing so thatmovable element will disconnect contact 58 from lead 52, thus preventingenergization of the electro-responsive devices 36, 48 and 64. Thisassures blocking of the two passageways by the plungers associated withthe electro-responsive devices 36 and 64.

In by-passing the first coin and being held by the second coin, theactuator 46 counted the two coins. Until that actuator counted the twocoins, the plunger associated with the electro-responsive device 64 wasnot held continuously out of the second passageway. Consequently, anycoins inserted in that second passageway would strike that plunger andbe directed toward the rejected coin chute where they could be regained.However, after the actuator 46 has counted the two coins, the switch 44will cause energization of the electro-responsive device 64 and unblockthe second passageway. Thereafter, the coins inserted in that passagewaycan reach the actuator of switch 74; that actuator and switch beingadjacent the second passageway. When the contacts of switch 74are'closed by a coin passing through the second passageway, a circuit iscompleted from lead 52 through the contact of switch 74, through thecoil of relay 66 and through the contact 68 of relay 70 to lead 72. Thiscauses the coil of relay 66 to pull the armature of that relay to itsleft-hand position; thus interrupting the circuit of theelectro-responsive devices 36, 48 and 64. These electro-responsivedevices will then block both passageways by the plungers associated withthe electroresponsive devices 36 and 64, and will also free the twocoins in the accepted coin chute for movement to the coin box. Inaddition, the shifting of the armature of relay 66 will establish aholding circuit which extends from lead 52 through empty switch 54,through delivery switch 56, through contact 62 of relay 66, through thecoil of relay 66 and through the contact 68 of relay 70 to the lead 72.In addition, the shifting of the armature of relay 66 will establish acircuit for the vending machine motor 78; that circuit extending fromthe lead 52 through the contact 66 of relay 66, through the vendingmotor 78 and through the contact 68 of relay 70 to the lead 72. Theholding circuit will maintain the armature in position with the contact60 of relay 66 and thus complete the circuit for the vending machinemotor 78 even though the actuation of the switch 74 is only momentary.The vending machine motor 78 will cause an article or material tobevended; and that article or material will cause the movable element ofswitch 56 to momentarily shift from its lower to its uppercontact. Thisshifting of that movable ele- 6 ment will interrupt the holding circuitfor relay 66. Thereupon the armature of that relay will shift to itsnormal right-hand position and interrupt the motor circuit Whilerestoring the circuit to the electro-responsive devices 36 and 48.

From this it is apparent that the plunger associated with theelectro-responsive device 64 normally blocks the sec ond passagewaywhile the plunger 38 is normally out of the passageway defined by thewalls 22 and 24, that the insertion of two authentic coins in thepassageway defined by the walls 22 and 24 will cause unblocking of thesecond passageway, that the insertion of an authentic coin in the secondpassageway will cause immediate initiation of the vending operation andblocking of both said passageways and will lead to the re-setting of thecoin separator with the second passageway being blocked and' thepassageway being defined by the walls 22 and 24 being unblocked. It isalso apparent that if, at any time, the vending machine becomes empty,the lamp 76 will be lighted and both passageways will be blocked.

If, at any time, the switch 74 were to stick in closed position, theinterruption of the holding circuit by the delivery switch 56 would notde-energize the relay 66; and the vending motor 78 would tend tocontinue to vend articles or material. However, the relay 70 will becomeenergized during the vending operation, and will interrupt the circuitof the vending motor by current which flows from lead 52 through switch74, through contact 62 of relay 66, through the movable element andupper contact of switch 56, through the coil of relay 70 and throughcontacts 68 of relay 78 to the lead 72. The energizations of the coil ofrelay 7%) will disconnect all parts of the cincuit from lead 72, byseparating contacts 68; and relay 70 will have a mechanical latch thatwill hold the contacts 68 apart until they are manually forced together.Thus, the relay prevents further vending of articles or material untilthe switch 74 can be inspected and restored to fully operativecondition.

If the leads 52 and 72 were disconnected from the source of voltage, orif that voltage source failed, the plungers associated with theelectro-responsive devices 36 and 64 would lodge in and block bothpassageways. This protects persons who insert coins in the passagewaysof the vending machine from losing those coins; those coins beingdirected to the rejected coin chutes where they can be regained by thosepersons. Thus, the coin separators of Figs. 1-4 gauges and counts thecoins inserted in it, making sure that the persons who insert the coinsdo not lose them even if they fail to insert those coins in theprescribed sequence; and it makes sure that no article or material isvended until the proper number and types of coins are inserted.

In Figs. 57, another form of coin separator provided by the presentinvention is shown. That coin separator has the frame 80 which maintainsa front wall 82 and a rear wall 84- in spaced relation. The walls 82 and84 are spaced apart a distance sufiicient to permit the passage of acoin, such as a penny, therebetween. An anvil 26 and a separator 28 aredisposed between the front and rear walls 82 and 84; the anvil 26 beingdisposed adjacent the lefthand edge of the walls 82 and 84, and theseparator28 being spaced to the right of the anvil 26. A coin guide 30is disposed between the walls 82 and 84 and it is spaced to the right ofthe separator 28. The anvil 26 and separator 28 define a rejected coinchute and the separator 28 and the coin guide 30 define an accepted coinchute. A coin guide 32, in the form of a pin, is disposed between thewalls 82 and 84 and it reduces the width of the accepted coin chute orpassageway.

An opening 86 is formed in the front wall 82 above and somewhat to theright of the separator 28. An electroresponsive device 36 is disposedadjacent that opening and it has a plunger 38 which is biased formovement through 0pening 86 into the passageway defined by.the walls 82and 84. That plunger can be withdrawn from that passageway by theelectro-responsive device 36. A coin gauge, a runway and a magnet, notshown, will be provided for the coin separator of Figs. -7. That coingauge, runway, and magnet will be similar to the coin gauge, runway, andmagnet of said Letters Patent, and will deliver authentic coins to theanvil 26 with sufiicient force that those coins will rebound past theseparator 28 and enter the accepted coin chute between separator 28 andcoin guide 30. The coin will be able to enter the accepted coin chuteonly if the plunger 38 is withdrawn from the passageway.

Coins entering the accepted coin chute will engage the bent end ofactuator 46 which extends into the passageway defined by the front andrear walls 82 and 84. This actuator is connected to a switch 44 which issecured to the front wall 82 and is spaced adjacent the left-hand edgeof that wall. A slot 89 is provided in the front wall 82 to accommodatethe bent end of actuator 46. A coin guide88 is disposed adjacent thebottom of the passageway defined by the walls 82 and 84 and it is spacedfrom coin guide 30 a distance just slightly greater than the coins to beaccepted by the coin separator of Figs. 5-7. An armature 50 of anelectro-responsive device, not shown, will underlie the accepted coinchute. The actuator 46 will have a switch-actuating position below theposition shown in Fig. 5, and a coin striking that actuator will move itthrough that coin actuating position. The actuator 46 has acoin-disengaging position adjacent the coin guide 88; that actuatorbeing so spaced from the coin guide 30 at such time that the distancebetween the coin guide 30 and the end of the actuator is greater thanthe diameter of the coin. Normally, however, the armature 50 willprevent the coin from passing by the end of actuator 46, as indicated inFig. 6. That coin will rest upon the upper surface of coin guide 88 andthe bent portion of armature 50 and will be held immobile; holding theactuator 46 immobile in switch-actuating position as it does so. Thatcoin can be released for passage to the accepted coin box by movement ofthe armature 50 from the dotted position of Fig. 7 to the positionindicated by solid lines. The downward movement of the coin out of theaccepted coin chute will free the actuator 46 for counter-clockwisemovement to its initial position; that actuator being biased formovement to that position.

The insertion of a coin in the passageway defined by the front and rearwalls 82 and 84 will cause the actuator 46 to move downwardly and beheld in switchactuating position; the coin being kept from moving beyondthat actuator by the conjoint action of coin guide 88 and the armature50. As indicated in Fig. 4, the closing of the switch 44 will energizethe electro-responive devices 64 and will withdraw the plungerassociated with that electro-responsive device from the secondpassageway, not shown. The insertion in the second passageway will closethe contacts of switch 74 and will cause the vending of an article ormaterial and the de-energizing of the electro-responsive device 48 whichnormally holds the armature 50 in the accepted coin passageway.Thereupon the spring 49, not shown, will move the armature from theposition indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7 to the position indicatedby solid lines in Fig. 7 and release the coin. This permits the switch44 to shift to the position indicated in Fig. 4 and thus enables theplunger associated with the electro-responsive device 64 to lodge in thesecond passageway and keep the coins from reaching the actuator of theswitch 74. Thus, the coin separator of Figs. 5-7 counts one coin andthen causes unblocking of the second passageway.

In Figs. 8-l0, another form of coin separator provided by the presentinvention is shown. That coin separator has a frame 92 that maintains afront wall 94 and a rear wall 96 in spaced relation. The front and rearwalls 94 and 96 are spaced apart to define a passageway which canreceive a coin, as for example a penny. An

anvil 26, a separator 28, a coin guide 30, and a coin guide 32 aredisposed between the front and rear walls 94 and 96; anvil 26 andseparator 28 defining a rejected coin chute, and separator 28 and coinguides 30 and 32 defining an accepted coin chute or passageway. Anopening 93 is formed in the front wall 94, and that opening is above andsomewhat to the right of the separator 28. An electro-responsive device36 is disposed adjacent the opening 93 and it controls a plunger 38which normally lodges in a passageway defined by the front and rearwalls 94 and 96. The plunger 38 can be withdrawn from that passageway bythe electro-responsive device 36. The coin separator of Figs. 8-10 has acoin gauge, a runway, and a magnet, not shown, which are similar to thecoin gauge, runway and magnet of said Letters Patent; and those elementswill direct authentic coins to the anvil 26 with sufiicient force toenable those coins to rebound past separator 28 into the authentic coinchute defined by separator 28 and coin guides 30 and 32. Any such coinswill be able to pass to that accepted coin chute if the plunger 38 iswithdrawn from the passageway between the walls 94 and 96; and theelectro-responsive device 36 normally does hold that plunger out of thatpassageway. Any such coin will strike the bent end of the actuator 46 ofswitch 44 and will rotate that actuator in a clockwise direction. Theactuator 46 has a switch-actuating position below the position shown inFig. 8 and it has a coin-disengaging position adjacent the coin guide98. That coin guide has a continuation extending below to the bottomedge of the walls 94 and 96. The bent end of the armature 50 lies in thecoin passageway defined by the coin guides 30, 32 and 98 and itsextension 100, and it normally prevents movement of those coins past it.

When a coin strikes actuator 46 and moves past it, the actuator willfirst move into switch-actuating position and then move tocoin-disengaging position, whereupon it can return to its initialposition under the bias of the contact within switch 44. In passing fromits initial position to switch-actuating and coin-disengaging position,the actuator 46 will cause switch 44 to momentarily energize theelectro-responsive device 64 of Fig. 4. This will momentarily withdrawthe plunger associated with that electro-responsive device from thesecond passageway, but that plunger will immediately return to itsposition within that passageway when actuator 46 rotates upwardly to itsinitial position. A second coin will strike actuator 46 and move it downto switchactuating position to coin-disengaging position and pass out ofengagement with that actuator. Thereupon, the switch-actuator 46 willreturn to its initial position; once again causing switch 44 to shiftthe plunger associated with the electro-responsive device 64 momentarilyout of the second passageway. However, a third coin entering theaccepted coin passageway will move the actuator 46 down intoswitch-actuating position but will be kept from reachingcoin-disengaging position by its engagement with the second coin; thefirst and second coin being held immobile in the accepted coinpassageway by the armature 50. The third coin will rest against thesecond coin and against the bent portion of actuator 46 and be held inthe accepted coin chute and will also hold the switch actuator 46 inswitch-actuating position.

The actuation of the switch 44 will energize the electroresponsivedevice 64 and will thus cause withdrawal of the plunger associated withthat electro-responsive device from the second passageway. Thewithdrawal of that plunger from the second passageway will enable coinsto reach the actuator of switch 74 and initiate the vending operation inthe manner described above in connection with the coin separator ofFigs. l-3. In permitting the first two coins to pass by the actuator 46without holding that actuator in switch-actuating position, the coinseparator of Figs. 8-10 counts those two coins but does not initiate thevending operation. It is only after the coin separator of Figs. 8-10counts the third coin that it initiates the vending operation.

In this way, the coin separator of Figs. 8-10 makes certain that theprescribed number of coins are introduced into the passageway betweenthe walls 94 and 96 before coins can reach the switch 74 adjacent thesecond passageway. Once coins reach the switch 74 in the secondpassageway, the vending operation will be initiated, and the armature 50will be moved away from the passageway defined by the coin guides 30, 32and 98, thus permitting those coins to pass to the coin box.

The coin separator provided by the present invention could bedimensioned to count any given number of coins. All that would need tobe done would be to lengthen the lower portion of the coin separator toprovide an accepted coin chute which has a length that is n times thewidth of the passageway but is less than n plus 1 times the width ofthat passageway, wherein is a number one less than the number of coinsto be counted by the coin separator. With such a construction, It coinswould successively engage the actuator and move it throughswitch-actuating position and coin-disengaging position and then permitit to return to its initial position, and the n plus 1 coin will movethe actuator to switch-actuating position and hold it there until thearmature freed all of the coins for movement to the coin box. In thisway, an inexpensive and effective coin separator can be built which canbe adapted to various combinations of coins merely by lengthening theskirt of the coin separator.

Whereas several preferred embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described in the drawing and accompanying description, itshould be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the form of the invention without aifecting the scopethereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coinswhich has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width,a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement ofcoins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway topermit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsivedevice which can move said stop, a second stop which is movable intosaid passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway butis movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins throughsaid passageway, a second electro-responsive device which can move saidsecond stop, said stops being spaced apart, and a switch adjacent saidpassageway, the first said stop being disposed beyond said switch andsaid second stop being disposed ahead of said switch, the first saidelectro-responsive device normally holding the first said stop in saidpassageway and said second electro-responsive device normally holdingsaid second stop out of said passageway, the improvement which comprisesan actuator for said switch which is at least partially within saidpassageway, said actuator being disposed between said stops, saidactuator having a portion that is normally in position to interceptcoins moving through said passageway and that is successively movablelongitudinally of said passageway through switchactuating position tocoin-disengaging position, said switch being so disposed relative to thefirst said stop that the coin-disengaging position of said actuator iscloser to the first said stop than is the switch-actuating position ofsaid actuator but is spaced from the first said stop a distance which isgreater than the width of the first said passageway but is less thantwice the width of the first said passageway whereby one coin willsuccessively move said actuator through switch-actuating position tocoin-disengaging position and a second coin will move said actuator toswitch-actuating position but will be kept from moving that actuator tocoin-disengaging position by the first coin until the first said stop ismoved out of the first said passageway and frees the first coin, thefirst said stop being movable downwardly and away from said passagewayto free said coins.

2. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coinswhich has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width,a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement ofcoins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway topermit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsivedevice which can move said stop, a second stop which is movable intosaid passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway butis movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins throughsaid passageway, a second electro-responsive device which can move saidsecond stop, said stops being spaced apart, and a switch adjacent saidpassageway, the first said stop being disposed beyond said switch andsaid second stop being disposed ahead of said switch, the first saideleotro-responsive device normally holding the first said stop in saidpassageway and said second electro-responsive device normally holdingsaid second stop out of said passageway, the improvement which comprisesan actuator for said switch which is at least partially within saidpassageway, said actuator being disposed between said stops, saidactuator having a portion that is normally in position to interceptcoins moving through said passageway and that is successively movablelongitudinally of said passageway through switch-actuating position tocoindisengaging position, said switch being so disposed relative to thefirst said stop that the coin-disengaging position of said actuator iscloser to the first said stop than is the switch-actuating position ofsaid actuator but is spaced from the first said stop a distance which isgreater than twice the width of the first said passageway but is lessthan three times the width of the first said passageway, whereby twocoins can successively move said actuator through switch-actuatingposition to coin-disengaging position and a third coin can move saidactuator to switch-actuating position but will be kept from moving saidactuator to coin-disengaging position by the second of said two coinsuntil the first said stop is moved out of the first said passageway andfrees the said two coins, said stop being an elongated rod that inclinesdownwardly of said passageway and has a portion thereof extendingtransversely of said passageway.

3. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coinswhich has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width,a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement ofcoins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway topermit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsivedevice which can move said stop, a second stop which is movable intosaid passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway butis movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins throughsaid passageway, a second electro-responsive device which can move saidsecond stop, said stops being spaced apart, and a switch adjacent saidpassageway, the first said stop being disposed beyond said switch andsaid second stop being disposed ahead of said switch, the first saidelectro-responsive device normally holding the first said stop in saidpassageway and said second electro-responsive device normally holdingsaid second stop out of said passageway, the improvement which comprisesan actuator for said switch which is at least partially within saidpassageway, said actuator being disposed between said stops, saidactuator having a portion that is normally in position to interceptcoins moving through said passageway and that is successively movablelongitudinally of said passageway through switch-actuating position tocoin-disengaging position, said switch being so disposed relative to thefirst stop that the coin-disengaging position of said actuator is closerto the first said stop than is the switch-actuating position of saidactuator but is spaced from the first said stop a distance which is ntimes the width of the first said passageway but is less than n+1 timesthe width of the first said passageway, whereby n coins can successivelymove said actuator through said switch-actuating to coindisengagingposition and an n+1 coin can move said actuator to switch-actuatingposition but will be kept from moving said actuator to coin-disengagingposition by the n coin until the first said stop is moved out of thefirst said passageway and frees the said n coin, said stop beingadjacent one side of said passageway and being movable downwardly andaway fromsaid passageway.

4. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coinswhich has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width,a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement ofcoins through said pasageway but is movable out of said passageway topermit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsivedevice which can move said stop, and a switch adjacent said passageway,the improvement which comprises an actuator for said switch which is atleast partially within said passageway, said actuator having a portionthat is normally in position to intercept coins moving through saidpassageway and that is successively movable longitudinally of saidpassageway by such coins through a switch-actuating to a coindisengagingposition, said switch being so disposed relative to said stop that thecoin-disengaging position of said actuator is closer to said stop thanis the switch actuating position of said actuator but is spaced fromsaid stop a distance which is n times the width of said passageway butis less than n+1 times the width of said passageway, whereby it coinscan successively move said actuator through switch-actuating tocoin-disengaging position and an n+1 coin can move said actuator toswitch-actuating position but will be kept from moving said actuator tocoin-disengaging position by the n coin until said stop is moved out ofsaid passageway and frees the said n coin, said stop being adjacent oneside of said passageway and being movable downwardly and away from saidpassageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent

